Gustave de Beaucorps

This capture of a ghostly ascending cobblestone alleyway was probably not intended to be seen in the negative, but rather printed in the positive. De Beaucorps was an amateur photographer who made many waxed-paper negatives on his travels through Algeria, likely the location of this image.

Waxed-paper negatives were the first practical way to make negatives outside the studio, because the paper could be prepared at home. Durable and lightweight, they were appreciated for the soft delicacy and transparency of the images they produced.